Uconn

ORLANDO, Fla. — As frustrating and upsetting as the first six games of the UConn football season were, the Huskies managed to avoid utter embarrassment.

And then Saturday dawned bright and cool in Florida.

Central Florida, ranked 21st in the nation, scored on its first nine possessions and blasted the Huskies to the tune of 62-17 before an announced crowd of 37,924 at Bright House Networks Stadium. Fresh off an upset of Louisville, the Knights (5-1, 3-0 American Athletic Conference) showed no hangover signs from the best victory in program history.

Instead, they hammered a reeling UConn team early and didn't let up until the dictates of class and sportsmanship called to be employed. UCF is simply much more athletic and more talented than UConn (0-7, 0-3).

Combine that with the usual mistakes and you wind up with a margin of defeat that ties for the worst in UConn's FBS existence (West Virginia beat UConn, 66-21, in 2007).

"When you play a team with talent, that's explosive and that's confident and you make mistakes, it's a true compounding of mistakes that before you know it, you look at the scoreboard and there it is," UConn interim head coach T.J. Weist said. "The mistakes that you make just keep working against you. It's hard to call plays that will get that back."

So much of it was a microcosm of the season. At one point, quarterback Tim Boyle lined up in the shotgun behind left guard Steve Greene. Center Alex Mateas snapped the ball to the correct space, but it was unoccupied. Late in the third quarter, UConn had fourth-and-goal at the UCF 2 facing the Knights' second-team defense. Sixth-year tackle Jimmy Bennett was whistled for a false start and the Huskies turned the ball over on the next play.

Tackling was poor, coverage was poor, offensive line play was poor. The Knights clearly have far better athletes and players, but it is stunning how far the talent gap has grown in so short a time. Less than three years ago, the Huskies won a BCS title and played in the Fiesta Bowl.

Today, UConn fans would like to flush this season down a different kind of bowl. There is little doubt the season is swirling faster.

"They just dominated us sideline to sideline," UConn cornerback Byron Jones said. "It's about being tough. You can't give in to our record. Obviously 0-7 is not good by any measure. We just have to stay mentally tough. I think that we can push through this somehow."

UConn had a mere 90 yards of offense at the half, 57 of them produced on a Lyle MCombs run on the Huskies' second play of the game. UCF spent the first half marching up and down UConn's half of the field like Sherman through Atlanta. After 30 minutes, the game was over.

Quarterback Blake Bortles was Sherman. He played backyard football, completing 20 of 24 passes for 286 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for a touchdown before departing early in the third quarter. J.J. Worton caught five passes for 108 yards, including a 61-yard touchdown pass that made the score 52-10 with less than three minutes gone in the third quarter.

Yes, UCF opened a 45-10 lead at the half, scoring a pair of touchdowns in the final two minutes of the half, the second a result of one of Boyle's two interceptions. In three road games, UConn has given up 144 points and scored 55. In three road games, UConn has allowed 1,328 yards and gained 830. Saturday's game was the worst of all.

"If you don't make plays when you have an opportunity and you're going against a good player, there's a chance things can go out the gate on you," UConn defensive coordinator Hank Hughes said. "You have to make plays and be in position to make plays.

"It's on us to do a better job. All I know is, when things don't go well, you go back to work and you work your (butt) off as hard as you can."

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